Andrew Dismore

In response to the Prime Minister’s written statement on the publication of the full Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report, Labour’s London Assembly Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning spokesperson, Andrew Dismore AM, said:

“This is the first step on the road to answers for the bereaved, survivors and residents of the Grenfell Tower fire. But those affected, and the firefighters who acted so bravely on the night, should not still be waiting for change.

“Minister after minister has promised action but there is still no substantive change. Over two hundred high rise residential buildings in London have “stay put” advice suspended because of serious fire safety failings. Yet the Government has done nothing to find safe ways of evacuating people en masse. We must ask, are the lessons of Grenfell Tower being learnt?

“The full Inquiry report builds on the findings of LFB’s own review into the problems firefighters encountered on the night. The Brigade must continue learning and improving from top to bottom so these errors never happen again. But the Brigade cannot fix the fact that Grenfell Tower, like hundreds of other buildings, has been wrapped in a flammable substance that does not meet even the limited requirements of the existing building regulations.

“The Government’s attempt to persuade building owners to fix their dangerous structures is going at a snail’s pace. It’s not good enough for residents of those buildings, firefighters, or the memory of what happened at Grenfell Tower itself. Solemn words from the Prime Minister are no substitute for essential reforms and funding.”

ENDS

Notes

• Andrew Dismore AM is the London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden.